Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants for Fiscal Year 2025

The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), aims to support the revitalization of severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and surrounding neighborhoods. Through this FY2025 funding opportunity, HUD invites eligible applicants to apply for support in carrying out comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategies. These grants focus on transforming public housing, providing services to improve resident outcomes, and leveraging public and private investments to uplift entire communities. The initiative is a part of HUD’s broader strategy to address deeply entrenched poverty and housing challenges in urban areas through integrated, locally driven solutions. The program’s objectives are framed around three core goals: Housing, People, and Neighborhood. The Housing component emphasizes the redevelopment of deteriorating public housing into high-quality, mixed-income developments that meet residents' needs and contribute to neighborhood improvement. The People component seeks to improve outcomes related to education, employment, health, and mobility for residents of the target housing. The Neighborhood component focuses on holistic revitalization, aiming to increase safety, access to services, and economic opportunity through both public and private investment. Implementation Grants are only available to local governments and public housing agencies that have previously received a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. Joint applications are required from both entities, though either may serve as the lead applicant. Additionally, the application must target a single housing development and neighborhood that were the focus of the prior Planning Grant. The target housing must be severely distressed public housing, and applicants must provide documentation affirming that no rehabilitation has occurred that would invalidate the original distress certification. Applications must also include an updated neighborhood map generated through HUD's Mapping Tool. Approximately $75 million in funding is available under this NOFO, with HUD anticipating up to four awards. Applicants may request the lesser of $26 million or the amount calculated using HUD’s grant sizing methodology. Matching funds are required: at least 5% of the grant amount in cash or in-kind resources must be secured over the life of the grant. Additional matching is needed if more than 5% of the grant is used for Supportive Services. Grantees must provide detailed reporting to verify receipt and use of matching contributions. Notably, this NOFO allows for the establishment of a Supportive Services Endowment, contingent upon meeting certain performance benchmarks. The application requires submission of standard federal forms, a detailed budget, and numerous narrative attachments including descriptions of the Housing, People, and Neighborhood strategies; leverage commitments; maps; site plans; and certifications. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time on March 9, 2026. Only entities with active registrations in SAM.gov and Grants.gov are eligible to submit. All documents must adhere to formatting requirements, including font size and page limits, and may not be encrypted or password-protected. Evaluation criteria include the applicant’s capacity to lead and implement the transformation plan, the need and condition of the target housing and neighborhood, the quality and feasibility of the housing and people plans, the extent of secured leverage, and the expected impact of the transformation effort. HUD also awards preference points for Opportunity Zones and other priority designations. Award notifications are expected by August 31, 2026, and the period of performance extends through September 30, 2034. Grantees are required to meet key implementation milestones within specified timeframes following award.

Meet match and leverage documentation standards; follow HUD's detailed site control and eligibility rules; align closely with Planning Grant boundaries; avoid unallowable expenses